Diet and arthritis

Why is diet important?

A healthy, balanced diet will help to:

• reduce strain on your joints by keeping to a healthy weight
• protect you against heart disease and some of the potential side-effects of drugs

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How can changing my diet help my arthritis?

Several links between arthritis and diet have been discovered through research.

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Why is keeping to a healthy weight important?

The most important link between your diet and arthritis is your weight. In particular, osteoarthritis is closely linked with obesity.

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How can I lose weight and eat a healthy diet?

Losing weight is very important because it reduces the strain on your joints. You can do this by:

• eating less sugar and fat
• taking regular exercise.

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Vitamins and minerals

You get most of your vitamins and minerals from the food you eat rather than from supplements. The most important vitamins and minerals for arthritis are:

• calcium
• vitamin D 
• iron.

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Foods and supplements that might help

Some people find these products helpful:

• omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil supplements) for inflammatory arthritis
• protein
• glucosamine for osteoarthritis.

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Should I avoid certain foods?

Some people feel that certain foods are bad for arthritis and that cutting them out helps. However, we don’t recommend leaving these foods out of your diet because of the important nutrients they contain.

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How can changing my diet help with gout?

If you have gout, these dietary changes might be helpful:

• lose weight if you’re overweight
• drink less alcohol (especially beer) and more water
• eat less meat and oily fish, more fruit and vegetables
• eat lower-fat dairy products

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